Linebacker,
Atlanta Falcons
Age: 22
College: North
Carolina
Height: 6’3” Weight: 221
Prelude:
An All-ACC
selection, Curry was a second-round draft choice by the Falcons for 1980, one
of four linebackers they took. Starting on the inside, he combined with fellow
rookie Al Richardson (who he ended up sharing AP Defensive Rookie of the Year
honors with), veteran Fulton Kuykendall, and second-year OLB Joel Williams to
create an outstanding corps of linebackers.
1980 Season Summary
Appeared in all
16 games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]
Sacks – N/A
Interceptions
– 3
Most
interceptions, game – 1 at New England 9/14, vs. Washington 11/30, at
Philadelphia 12/7
Int. return
yards – 13
Most int.
return yards, game – 9 (on 1 int.) at New England 9/14
Int. TDs – 0
Fumble
recoveries – 1
Fumble rec.
TDs – 1
Scoring
TDs – 1
Points – 6
Postseason: 1
G (NFC Divisional playoff vs. Dallas)
Interceptions
– 0
Awards &
Honors:
NFL Defensive
Rookie of the Year: AP (co-winner), PFWA
1st
team All-NFC: Pro Football Weekly
Falcons went 12-4
to finish first in the NFC West with the best record in the conference. Lost
NFC Divisional playoff to Dallas Cowboys (30-27).
Aftermath:
Curry had
another solid season in 1981, despite the team’s overall decline, and scored
his only NFL touchdown on an interception return. He led the Falcons in tackles
in the strike-shortened ’82 season (something he regularly did throughout his
career), but a knee injury prevented him from appearing in the playoff game
afterward. Moved to the outside in 1983, Curry recorded a career-high four
sacks, but was shifted to the middle as the team went to a 4-3 defense in ’84. After
appearing in 105 straight games through 1986, Curry was limited to four games
due to injury in ’87 and retired in the offseason. Overall, he played eight
years with the Falcons and led the team in tackles in each of the first seven.
--
Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were named Rookie
of the Year in the NFL, AFL (1960-69), or USFL (1983-85) by a recognized
organization (Associated Press – Offense or Defense, Newspaper Enterprise
Association, United Press International, The Sporting News, or the league
itself – Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year).
Curry was an all-purpose linebacker who could be a ferocious tackler against the run, a pass rusher, and pass defender. He was a bright spot on an oft-maligned Falcon defense in the early 80's, often helping to mask defensive weaknesses with his penchant for coming up with or causing big plays. I remember as a kid watching them play Minnesota on Monday night where the Vikings ran the Falcons defense all over the field, but a late tipped pass resulted in a pick-six for Curry that allowed Atlanta to squeak by with a narrow victory. Those were the kind of plays that Curry was good at making.
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